Fluid speed-changing gear.



IVI. A. KETTLER.v FLUID SPEED CHANGING GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 4l5, |914.l

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M. A. KETTLER. FLUIQ SPEED CHANGING GEAR.

` APPLICATION-FILED DEC. I5. |914, 1,1 99,904. Patented 001:. 3,1916. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 M. A. KETTLER. FLUID SPEED CHANGING GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. l5, 1914' I 1,199,904. Patented Oct. 3, 1916.

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.zwjme ATo all whom` t may concern MILTON A. KETTLER, oF WASHINGTON, nIs'rnIcT or COLUMBIA. i

FLUID SPEED-CHANGING GEAR.

Be it known that I, MILTON A. KET'ILER, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements' in Fluid Speed-Changing Gear; and

,- I do hereby declare the following. to be a v full, clear, and exact description'of the into construct, and more certain in operationA vention, such as will enable others skilled in the' art to which it appertains to make and use the same. j

flhis `invention relates to speed changing reducing gears of the Huid clutch type, and has forits 'object to provide a. mechanism which willfbe' 'simple in construction, etlicient in action, comparatively inexpensive than those heretofore proposed.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

, Referring tothe accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification, in which like numerals designate like parts inv all the views: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic longitn dinal sectional view partly in elevation taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2, of a mechanism made in accordance with my invention'; Fig. 2 is an end elevational view partly insection of the parts shown in 'Fig'. 1, lookf ing in therdirection of the arrows a and with the casing removed; Fig..3 is a' detail plan view of one of the gears for controlling the valves; Fig. 4 is a view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1,- looking in the direction of thearrows b;` Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic sectional view showing the position ofgone of the controllingvalves for a forward drive;

' Fig. 6 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 5 showing the return passages for the oil when the parts are in the same position as in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the position of the valve when the clutch is stopped or its driving member is stationary; Fig. 8 is a view ofthe valve showing the return passages for the oil when the parts are inA the same position as in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the position of the valve when the clutch is reversed, and

Fig. 10 is a view of the return passages for the oil when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 9.

1 indicates any suitable driving shaft, and

Specification of Letters Patent.

' ment 22 in the manner well known.

2 any suitable driven shaft. Keyed to the driving shaft 1., as at 3 is the driving disk member 4 provided with the rotating driving abutments 5, Amounted on the short shafts 6 journaled atone end in said driving disk 4 and at their other end inthe ring member 7 fitting the collar'like projection 8 ywith which said disk. member 4 is provided. Mounted on` one end of each short -shaft 6 is a pinion 9 meshing with the internal gear 10 best shown in Fig. 4, and more fully described below. Also mounted, on the driving shaft 1 is a brake wheel 11 rigid with the sleeve 12. carrying the plate like member 13 to which is secured as by the bolts 14 the speed changing ring member' 15, andA 16 represents a second plate like member also mounted on thedriving shaft 1 overlying saidl ring member 15, and through which the bolts 14 also pass. The

ring member 15 is provided with-an annular A Patented oct. 3, 191e.; Application led December 15,1914, `Serial No. 877,370.

as a-track and cause each .of the shafts and abutments 5 to rotate.

The speed changing ring 15 is provided with inwardly projecting abutments l22 for coaction with each rotary driving abutment 5, and each driving abutment 5 is provided with diametrically opposite recesses 23 adaptedto receive said projecting abutments 22 when the two sets of abutments pass each other. The pinions 9 are further engaged withl the gear 10 at such'points aswill compel each rotary abutment 5 to be so turned` when it meets an abutment 22 projecting l across its path, that lsaid abutment 22.'will enter a recess 23 and each rotary abutment 5 in question will accordingly pass each Secured to thedriven -shaft 2 as by the spline 25 is a cover plate 26 having a projecting ring27 overlying a projection 28 on the plate 16, and secured'to the outer laterally projecting edge of said cover plate 26 is a ring member 29. Associated with vand abutabutf ting said ring member 29 is a driven. ring Amember 30, carrying a plurality of driven rotary `abutments 3,1, and associated With and abutting said driven ring member 30 is a sec in this art.

ond cover plate 32 having a hub 33, litting the collar or sleeve 34 surrounding thevsleeve 12. Each of the driven abutments 31 is provided with a short shaft 35 journaled in the rings 29 and 30 as shown, and each shaft carries on one of its ends a pinion 36 engaging the external gear 37 carried by the driving plate member 16 as will be clear from Figs. 1 and 2. The speed changing ring 15 is also provided with a pluralityl of externally projecting abutments 38 lying in the path of the driven rotary abutments 31, and the said driven abutments 31 are provided with recesses 40 adapted to receive and permit to pass said projecting abutments 38 as the said driven abutments 31 v are rotated through their shafts 35, pinions 36 and the gear 37 1n the manner'well understood by those skilled lt will now be clear from what has been so far disclosedthat power being applied to the driving shaft 1, the driving disk 4 will rotate carrying with it the driving abutments 5 and pinions 9. And if the brake wheel 11 and internal, gear 10 b`e held stationary, the rotation of said abutments 5 will be so timed as to pass thel internal abutments22 carried bythe speed changing ring 15. lt will further be clear that should Vthe driven shaft be rotated by any means, the gear 37 rigid with the 'speed changing ring 15, andthe pinions 36 will cause thev driven rotary abutments 31 to turn on their axes at such times as will enable them to pass the outwardly projecting abutments 38 also carried by the speed changing ring `15. lt will likewise be clear that since the gears and pinions always re` main intermeshed, the above passages of the variousy abutments will likewise take place even though the ring 15 and its-gears 10 and 37 be rotated in either direction while the shafts 1 and 2 are being rotated, so' that it follows that none of the abutments can, at any time interfere with each other, all as will be readily understood.

The action of the oil or other fluid in transm'tti'ng power from the driving to thel driven shaft will now be disclosed.

As shown .in Fig. 1, the disk 4 is 'eut away near the shaftl and spline 3, 'and has anl eX- tending side portion thus forming,` an L shaped recess Vwhich is closed on one side by the. ring 7 and inwhich are located the abutments 5. But between these abutments 5, there exists a considerable cubic space as `is indicated by the shaded portions of the 'ring' 7 in Fig. -2, and' in this space some of the operating fluid is located. A y

` Between each pair of inwardly extending abutments 22 on the ring 15 is a driving passage 46 for the oil and a return 47.

48 represents an eXit for the driving oil and 49 an inlet for the oil returned to the disk 4.

Controlling each set of passages 46 and 47 Y and the. associated exit 48, and inlet 49, is a three way valve 50, each provided with the straight passage 51, and the cross passage entering said passage 51.

1t will further be seen that the outer driven ring member 30 is provided with an l..

shaped cut away space closed on one side by the ring 29, and in which is located the driven abutments 31. ments 31 there is a considerable portion oi this said l. shaped space available for oil as is indicated in Fig. 2, by the shaded portions 54 of the ring'30. In fact not only does the oil fill the two cubic spaces mentioned above, but it fills the passages and cutaway places in the abutments as well.`

,keyed to the sleeve 12 as by the gibs or splines 66. 1t results from the construction just described that so llong as the brake wheel 11 and the plate 13 arestationary the pinions andv valves 50 will also be sta'- tionary, but if thebrake wheel turns, said gear, pinions and valves will also turn around shaft 1, all as lwill appear more fully hereinafter.

Each valve plug 5 in addition to having the passages 51 and52, inits one half, is provided in its other half, with a somewhat similar set of passages 67, 68 and'69, leaving the solid portion 70 between the passages 68 and 69, all as will be clear from Figs. 1, 4, 6, 8 and 10. p

The operation of my invention is as fol# lows z-Fower being applied toV rotate the shaft 1, the driving disk 4 splined to said.

shaft will lie-rotated', thus moving each'of the driving abutments -5 in say a counter clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 2. Sup-` posing the brake wheel 11 and'speedY changsaid ring-15 that lies in trontlof it. From the passage 46, thelvalves 50 being set as indicated,'the driven oil4 passes rthrough thev valve passage 52 and out the exit 48 into the space provided in the ring 30, whereit meets the oil already in said space. l This. causes a pressure against the driven abutment 31 that lies immediately ahead of the driven oil,

andl forces said abutment in a counter'clockwise direction as seen in Fig- 2, thus turning the'driven ring 30, the ring 29, the outer plates 32 and 26, and the `driven 'shaft 2. As the driving abutments reach the inwardly projecting abutments 22 carried by the ring 15, the said abutments enter the recesses 23 Between these abut- .A

-equal to the linear travel maintained during the passage o these said abutments in the manner above disclosed. If there is no leakage, the driven abutments 31, will be forced forward a linear distance of the driving abutments 5, but as the latter are at a shorter distance from the axes of the shafts i the angular velocity of the outer abutments,

and plate 26 and shaft 2 will not be as great as the angular velocity of the corresponding 'driving parts. Therefore, the driven shaft will turn at a reduced speed. The oil will in the manner disclosed continue to be forced from in front of the driving abutments 5 to the rear of the driven abutments 31, but as the latter are driven past the speed changing ring abutments 38, said abutments 38 #will occupy new spaces between the abutments 31, and bring the inlet ports 49 into register with said new spaces. These inlet ports are in register with the return passages 67 and 69 in thevalves 50, and said return passages are in register with the return passage 47 in the ring 15, so that oil willY ow back behind each driving abutment 5, as fast as it is driven from in front of it. The positions of the parts during this driving action will be clear from Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6. The sameoil that is forced from in front of a given abutment 5, however, is not immediately forced to the rear of the same abutment A5; for a little consideration will show that oil can never pass either of the ring abutments 22 or 38; but oil forced into agiven compartment 72 for example in Fig. 2, will escape through the inlet. marked 490 in said figure, and occupy a space behind the next abutment 5 ahead or' the first abutment 5. It. will then be driven by a succeeding abutment 5 through'the next valve and exit ahe'ad,and so on until it makes a complete circuit, being alternately compressed and exhausted so to speak into and from spaces such as 72.

As above stated, should the brake wheel 11 be held stationary during the operation described, a reduced speed of a definite proportion to thel original speed will be impartedto the driven shaft 2, but at a greater leverage. I f now thev brake wheel 1 1 is allowed to slip so that it travels as .fast as the'l .slip at various speeds between zero and that .of the driving shaft, then an endless variety of speeds may be imparted to the driven f shaft 2, and each of which will be a definite ratio to the speed of said driving shaft 1.

' The above supposes the valves`50 to be wide i open, but s'uppo'sethese valves be partially 'aclosedg` It. `is evident that, another `:endless varietyfch-anged 'speedsmay'fbe had each" bearingn definite -ratios,f1-foin` f as follows z-The gear 62 is splined to the f sleeve 12 as above stated and therefore turns with the brake wheel 11 so that no adjusting movement of the valves isv had through the turning of the brake'wheel 11. An adjustable collar provided with the usual groove for the reception of pins 8l, is provided on the sleeve 12, and this collar 80 is connected by the rods 82 to the slidable ring 65, connected to the collar or sleeve 64 as above stated. rI`he said sleeve 64 is provided withspiral grooves 83, Figs. 1 and 3, adapted to receive pins 84 carried by the ring 65, and it therefore results that upon sliding the said pins longitudinally of the shaft 1, the'sleeve 64, gear' 62 and valves 50 will be rotated. A ring 85 carrying the pins- 81 serves to slide the parts.v Accordingly the valves 50 may be adjusted to any desired position while the machine is running, and thus an endless variety of change speeds each of a definite ratio to the original speed may be had. In addition to the above in-Y finite number of change speeds that may be had, my invention permits the driven shaft to stop still, while the engine or` driving shaft continues to run full speed. To accomplish this it is only' necessary to turn the valves 50 through the mechanism disclosed to the position shown in Fig. 7 whereupon the inlet passage 47 will be connected with the driving passage 46through one part of the valve plug while the other portion of said plug will have its passage dis- -posed as shown in Fig. 8. With this adjust-I ment of the valves 50 no power will be transmitted to theshaft 2, even though the brought into the position shown in Fig. 9, which will cause the shaft 2to be driven in an opposite direction .or reversed. The oth r or exhaust passages ofthe valves 50 when in their reversed Fig. 10. A Y V v Although this liquid clutch or speed changing gear isespecially adapted for automobiles, yet, its use is y no means confined thereto, as it maybe made in different sizes and adapted, for machinery in general. It is especially adapted for lathes, naval enpositions are shown in .gines and a host of other machines.

It is obvious that those `skilled in the art may vary the details of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to the above disclosure 'except-as maybe required by the claims. j ,y Y

What I claim is :fv 1 1. In a speedchanging means, the vcombination of a drivingshaft; a driven shaft; brake controlled means provided with pass-'- sages; means for forcing fluid through said passages from said driving shaft; and means inclosing said brake controlled means con- 'nected to said driven shaft adapted to be moved by said fluid, substantially as described. 1

2. lin a speed changing means, the combination of a driving shaft; a driven shaft; a rotary brake controlled means provided with passages; rotating means for forcing fluid through said passages from said driving shaft; and rotating means connected to said driven shaft inclosing said brake controlled means adapted to be moved by said fluid, substantially as described.

3. in speed changing means the coml transmitting power from one to the other,

a casing carrying certain of said abutments; .and a revolving brake controlled means inside, and independent of said abutments adapted to change the speed of the driven shaft.

5. in a speed changing gear the combination of driving and driven shafts; rotary abutments concentrically arranged associated with said shafts for transmitting abutments.

6. ln a speed changing gear the combinamageos power from one to the other; and a brake controlled means provided with fluid passages, located between said concentric abutments and provided with a plurality of abutments coacting with saidy `first named tion of driving and driven shafts; a plurality of rotary abutments carried by each of said shafts; means for rotating each of said abutments; `a rotating brake controlled speed changing means provided with fiuid passages and with abutments coacting with said first named abutments; and valves controlling said passages.

7.. in a speed changing gear the combination of driving and driven shafts; a plurality of rotary abutments carried by each of said shafts; means for rotating each of said abutments; a rotary brake controlled speed changing means provided with Huid pasages and with abutments coacting with said first named abutments; valves controlling said passages; and means for regulating said valve while said abutments are moving.

8. ln a speed changing gear the combination of driving and driven shafts; means for transmitting power from one shaft to the other; and a speed changing brake controlled means located inside said first named means adapted to turn independently of each shaft and provided with duid passages associated with said power transmitting means;`

in testimony whereof l affix my signature,v in presence or two witnesses.

WM. P. HARTLEY, l J. A. VVHELAN. 

